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EVE Online: The Future of EVE Online

With EVE Onlines 20th expansion just around the corner, Dalmarus takes a look at the new content and the community that helped shape its development.

EVE
Online released ten years ago in 2003. For ten years
now, it has been known as one of the most difficult games to learn and
play. It
has also been the only game to see consecutive population growth every
single
year since its release. No matter who you are that’s no small
feat to
accomplish. It also wasn’t done by waving a magic wand.

CCP’s
community team works closely with their fans and
has made a habit of listening to them carefully. That doesn’t
mean there
haven’t been some bumps in the road. I can tell you from
experience that even
the best of teams will have the occasional mishap occur, whether caused
by a
change in the game or a miscommunication between the company and the
fans. Each
time, the team has worked hard to not only mitigate any damage, but to
repair
relationships. They take their fans extremely seriously and I think the
game’s
continual growth is a testament to this.

Though
the game has seen steady growth, it can always use
more players. One of the big blocking points with people sticking with
EVE past
the trial period is the vertical cliff it has for a learning curve.
Needless to
say, the development team is always looking for ways to make the curve
less
imposing. Not all players feel this needs to be done. As a case in
point during
one presentation, a question was asked about possibly making the game
easier
for new players, at least so far in terms of not losing their stuff
when they
first venture out and get attacked. There was an immediate and heated
reaction
from nearly everyone attending EVE Vegas. Admittedly those coming to
the
convention represent the hardcore fans, but I was surprised at the
universal
vitriol that came forth at the suggestion.

Despite
the reaction of the
players in attendance, I think the game is
going to be easier for new players with the release of EVE
Online’s next
expansion, Rubicon (just not in the ways other players are worried
about). Set
to go live on November 19th
of this year, Rubicon will be the 20th
free expansion for EVE Online. As far as I’m concerned, it
will also mark a
turning point in the game’s future growth.

One
of the most common reasons
for players to quit EVE Online after they’ve made it through
the tutorial is a
nearly overwhelming sensation of “now what?” One of
the changes coming to the
game with Rubicon is a complete overhaul to the way skills are viewed
and this
is what’s going to give new players a goal when
they’re first starting out. The
ability to tell what's going on with your skills and how they relate to
your
abilities with various ships and as a whole will be much more visual
than it
has been previously. Rather than dealing with a massive set of nested
skills
that are buried further and further, players will now be able to look
at a
branching tree. This also makes it far easier for new players to see
what they
need to learn and progress in in order to fly the ship of their choice.

Rubicon
has a lot more than just
a revamped skills system to offer though. Here’s a quick
rundown of what else
new and existing players can expect to see added to the EVE
universe.

Mobile deployable
structures – These
structures will be totally player owned (they cannot be
owned by corporations and the like. There are four types being released
with
Rubicon but more will be on the way later.

The Mobile Depot
- A personal home in any system that can be placed nearly anywhere
within that
system. Used for item storage and personal fitting service. It will
also have a
new unique 48 hour reinforcement system meant to encourage players to
log in
and play at least once every two days.

Mobile tractor
unit – Automatically
tractor beams legal wrecks/cans and loots their
contents. Can be conveniently scooped, leaving behind a jetcan with the
loot.
Can only tractor one wreck/can at a time.

Mobile Cynosural
Inhibitor - Disposable one-time
use item that prevents normal Cyno fields
from opening within 100 kilometers. You can place as many of these out
as you
can afford but keep in mind that they cannot overlap, so no matter how
much you
blanket an area with these, there will still be gaps for enemy players
to use. This
unit was designed to give players more control of their environment and
force
tough decisions onto their opponents.

Small Mobile
Siphon Unit – This
mobile unit steals moon materials from starbases. The
biggest item of interest to note about this is that it also does not
notify the starbase owner and defense
guns do not automatically shoot at it (though other players can shoot
it down).
It can also be looted by anyone. Before people go crazy in protest,
it’s
important to note that it only steals a small amount and is meant to be
used as
an instigator rather than a way to get rich at little to no risk.

Warp Speed
Overhaul – Ship warp
speed now affects acceleration and deceleration in
warp. Tier 1 cruisers are the baseline that will be used. This will
allow fast
hit and run fleets. There will be meaningful differences between faster
and
slower ships. When EVE Vegas attendees were shown a comparison between
a Tier 1
cruiser and one of the new exploration ships complete with speed warp
implants
and fittings, the response was extremely loud and 100% positive.

Ghost Sites
– A
new class of exploration sites will be introduced with the release of
Rubicon.
These will be fast-paced sites combining hacking and combat that are
available
in all areas of space with different rewards in high/lo/null space.
They also
contain the blueprints and materials for… something.

FULL Direct X 11
Support – The
graphics of EVE Online have always been beautiful but they’re
about to be ramped up and players can’t wait!